


Of the key importance having self-confidence

by Jauteure



Series: Everything Will Be Better Once On The Surface (Please Make It True) [1]
Category: Splatoon
Genre: Agent 3 is Cora, Agent 4 is Assana, Agent 8 is just Eight, Bilingual Character(s), F/M, Fem!Agent 3, Fluff, Fluff without Plot, Improper Use of Words, Light Self-Worth Issues, Male!Agent8, Song: Something Just Like This (The Chainsmokers & Coldplay), cause it's, inspired by a song, technically a songfic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-02
Updated: 2020-09-02
Packaged: 2021-03-06 22:55:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 965
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26256745
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jauteure/pseuds/Jauteure
Summary: Eight lacks self-confidence, and Cora doesn't agree with that.
Relationships: Agent 3 & Agent 4 (Splatoon), Agent 3 & Agent 8 (Splatoon), Agent 3/Agent 8 (Splatoon), Agent 4 & Agent 8 (Splatoon)
Series: Everything Will Be Better Once On The Surface (Please Make It True) [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1907608
Comments: 4
Kudos: 18





	Of the key importance having self-confidence

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by The Chainsmokers & Coldplay's "Something just like this"  
> English isn't my first language; I apologize in advance for any mistake (if you see one, please write a comment to alert me. I would want to improve, so any feedback is appreciated!)

If you asked his opinion, Eight would describe himself as average. 

Above all not like a hero, not even unusual. He was so far from the myth of the Great Turf War fighters’, further still from the vision Inklings had of the Octarians (Coralie worked continuously, while he spent days doing nothing. She spoke DOS in a second language; he couldn't fix a computer to save his life). 

Within the Squidbreak Splatoon, he contented himself following orders; as a civilian, his friends described him as kindhearted, silent, discreet. Should still he have any memories of his former identity, the one of the Abysses, he could have discovered himself a thrilling life; but no, the amnesia had to fall upon him. 

If alone, Eight wouldn’t have complained (he preferred to stay in the shadows anyway, away from the spotlight and the stern responsibilities that made him nervous). But he was with Cora. 

If you asked Eight would have described Cora as the picture perfect heroine. Overflowing with self-confidence, always ready for a disaster situation, more than competent: long story short, she was close to perfection. 

So yeah, even though it hurt, he couldn't turn a blind eye to what was in front of him: Cora deserved better than him. The fact she had chosen him (him among all, him against the swarm of Inklings crawling for her attention) amazed him a little more each passing day.

“You're stuffing your head for nothing,” Assana retorted when he brought it back. "Cora chose you on her own will, and seeing as she goes, she's not going to throw you away anytime soon." 

Make no mistake, Eight didn't complain being with Cora (far, far away from the truth), but he didn't believe so much in his fortune. Bad luck had followed him throughout the Metro, even afterwards: he saw no reason for it to stop now of all time. 

Eventually, Cora talked face to face with him (quite literally, she held his cheeks in her hands, his ears overrun with heat). Maybe she had finally noticed Eight's doubts, maybe Assana had let the cat out of the bag. Anyway, he found himself confronted with what frightened him from the very beginning. 

But Cora completely surprised him. She wasn't vexed, she didn't want to abandon him, didn't blame him for doubting (or just a bit, a drop of exasperation drowned in an ocean of weariness). 

“You know I care about you? More than anyone?”

He knows she had a hard time expressing her affection in words; he nodded. 

“Good,” she sighed. “Then don't doubt yourself. You’re marvellous Eight, much better than any of us, and you don't even realize it. It's frustrating." 

He tilted his head as much as he could. Compliments warmed his cheeks, but the end of the sentence was more worrisome. 

“I am ‘frustrating’?” 

“So much. If only you saw yourself the way I see you, you… (she nibble her lip, frowned as the words escaped her) I'm not good at all with that ‘emotional’ side, but you... you’re there for others, always ready to reach out. You did it with me, and it was more than I could have hoped for.” 

It was no longer just the cheeks, but also the Eight’s ears and neck which were burning in a great collective blaze. He had seen Cora's eyes as closely before, but they never looked so huge, so amber, so… deep.

Slowly, she rested her forehead against his. Their noses almost touching, they could feel each other's breath. 

“I don't need a knight in shining armor, let alone you trying to change to please me. You're good enough the way you are.”

Eight opened his mouth, realized he couldn't think of anything to answer (or too much to answer, the words jostled in his head), and closed it. Cora's lips twitched.

“Lost your tongue?” 

“No I…! I am, is that… But you…!”

She chuckled (a delight to hear), and he realized that she too was red as a beet, which goes to show her nonchalant attitude was only a facade. The thought Cora might have the same bubbles in her stomach turned his head. And made him want to kiss her so badly.  
But before, he wanted to (no, he had to) declare himself. 

“You too, you mean to me, really a lot. Really… very much.”

Her breathing cut short, Cora blinked several times. It was Eight's turn to smirk. 

“You do not have your tongue?”

“Shut up you!” she grumbled, yet without trying to hide her scarlet cheeks and her irresistibly growing smile. 

If you asked her opinion, Cora would describe herself as serious. She focused on Turf War leagues with her team, on missions of the Squidbreak Splatoon, on the routine of her life. She liked her friends, but she wasn't the type of girl who giggles every day. Not boring, but focused on her goals. 

She envied others for their facilities being relaxed, letting go of appearances to be just themselves (it was so hard, sometimes she felt incapable of it). Assana seemed so comfortable in the center of attention, among friends, even in the middle of a fight she looked having fun. It was the kind of person Cora would like to be. 

And then there was Eight. The one who was curious about everything, who asked a thousand questions with his broken accent ; the one who laughed so easily ; the one who was never far away in case of problems, who lent his shoulder to cry, who offered his help as if it was the least he could do.

Eight was a ray of sunshine, and he had decided to spend his time with her. It wasn't the best thing that had happened to her in a long time… but almost.


End file.
